pidgin (English)
Where does "pidgin" come from?
The term "pidgin" originated from a Chinese Pidgin English pronunciation of the English word "business." Over the 19th century, it expanded from its original meaning of an affair or occupation to describe the simplified, contact-based languages that emerged during historical trade interactions in the Far East.
Full etymology tree
- pidgin (English), 'A person's business, occupation, work, or trade (also spelt as pigeon).'
- inherited pidgin (Chinese Pidgin English), 'affair'
- inherited business (English), 'Commercial, industrial, or professional activity.'
- inherited busines (Middle English), 'alternative form of bisynes'
- derived bisiġ (Old English), 'busy'
- inherited *bisīg (Proto-West Germanic), 'zealous, diligent, busy, eident'
- derived *bisōn (Proto-West Germanic), 'to run around, run amok (of cattle)'
- derived *bʰeyh₂- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to shake, tremble'
- affix -īg (Proto-West Germanic)
- derived *bisōn (Proto-West Germanic), 'to run around, run amok (of cattle)'
- inherited *bisīg (Proto-West Germanic), 'zealous, diligent, busy, eident'
- affix -nes (Old English), 'Used to form abstract nouns, usually from adjectives but also from verbs and other nouns, denoting quality or state; -ness'
- derived bisiġ (Old English), 'busy'
- inherited busines (Middle English), 'alternative form of bisynes'
- inherited business (English), 'Commercial, industrial, or professional activity.'
- inherited pidgin (Chinese Pidgin English), 'affair'
Direct ancestors
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris